India: I couldn’t save a kitten from being killed by three dogs

By H S Himamshu (India)

Introduction by Michael

This is a story from H S Himamshu, who commented on a page about some Indians (very rarely) eating domestic cats. We exchanged comments and then this story from India appeared in the following comment. It is reproduced verbatim. Please try and read it slowly to the end. It is not too grizly or nasty except for the final moments. It is just an evocative glimpse of life in India for people and cats.

Dear Sir,

I had a Wailing Kitten in my house on 6th May 2014. It was Mewing very loudly. I tried to pacify it and wanted to save it. But near my house there are 3 cruel, aggressive and evil dogs and they killed the kitten much to my horror and dismay.

Here is a detailed account of what happened :

The Kitten started Mewing in the Backyard at 1:30 A.M. night. It was a Beautiful Black, Brown and White kitten. It was running around from back to front of my house. At first, I took a torch and went behind and saw the mewing kitten. It started running near our washing stone and was nicely evading me by going in and coming out. I switched on All the lights, took my camera, a torch and a stick to keep the dogs out of my house. I was not able to catch the kitten as it was avoiding me. I was also apprehensive it would bite or scratch me, so I did not hold on to the running kitten, which was mewing continuously.

I remembered an incident when earlier I tried to save a Kitten near the Railway tracks, its claws came out of its sheath and it almost scratched me.

My Mother woke up and switched off all the lights, Locked doors and I was in the dark. She was not happy with me venturing out in the night, and did not allow me to bring the kitten inside for rescue, as she believes that a Cat might bring Bad luck.

Later the 3 evil dogs came near our house, The Male dog was hell bent on killing and was standing still. I tried to guard the kitten by staying there with the stick, it was continuously mewing loudly and running back and forth.

Suddenly all 3 dogs went to the next road, I thought of chasing the kitten out into its ditch where it was found earlier, but it ran below the car in our house. The Kitten went over the Roof & Terrace mewing continuously. Dogs came back again and sat on a Sand pile beside our house, Kitten was becoming uncomfortable and was mewing for 45 minutes.

I tried to scare the kitten into silence by beating the stick, but it got even more restless and did not keep quiet. It was looking to go outside very eagerly at every opportunity, and I was trying to keep it inside our compound.

Later it came down suddenly mewing, went below the car and went outside. Male dog chased it near Opposite house. The kitten raised its fur and tail and cried like Ooooooo, ran and came back near my house gate. I tried to send the cat inside my house gate by showing the stick towards it as soon as it came back. It mistook me that I was trying to hit it.

I tried to shoo the dogs away, but the kitten thought I was chasing it away and ran into the house under construction beside our house. 2 Dogs chase it into the house under construction, Male was barking for 15 to 20 minutes continuously and was not able to find the kitten. Later the Male dog came out. All 3 dogs chased some other animal, maybe the Mother cat away into the next street.

Meanwhile they returned and all 3 dogs entered the house under construction. Kitten comes out, is chased, rounded up and murdered on the street by the 3 dogs by biting on its neck.

Male Dog eats the kitten.

Early Morning the crow eats the remains of the dead kitten.

Since then I have been very sad and depressed as my Rescue mission failed horribly and the young Kitten passed away to heaven. I believe that Any Animal has the Right to exist peacefully on this Earth, and miserable that I could not keep the dogs at bay. I was an eyewitness to this entire incident and will remain devastated for the rest of my life in deep regret and sorrow.

I know God will Never Forgive me for this failure….

I feel sad whenever I remember this kitten which died, and I often cry for its demise and pray to God Almighty to help its poor soul. It was not trained properly and too young to die. It was the first ever instance of a cat dying in front of my eyes. It was tiny, homeless, pitiable, probably ill and maybe hungry as well. I also feel for its mother cat, since it lost its child, if she had been around she could have steered it to safety.

…..My Kitten will be in my memories and I will continue to be haunted by my failure for the rest of my life I will be a devastated, sad and hopeless man. I would have not felt bad even if I had failed in my Final examinations at college, as I would get a second chance to pass. But this incident can never be undone and my kitty will never come back alive to me. I feel I am worthless and a waste of creation.

H S Himamshu (India)